BAHRAIN’S Nass Group celebrated a “significant milestone” when a pioneering new water control centre which it helped build was inaugurated last month in Doha, Qatar.

Built at a cost of QR55 million ($15 million), the National Water Control Centre (NWCC) boasts an advanced Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) system and is the first of its kind in the Middle East, according to the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa).
The Scada project was executed by a consortium led by IT and industrial automation specialist Telvent and included the Nass Group through its subsidiary NassTech, and consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Designed to save and conserve water, the sophisticated system enables Kahramaa to supervise and control water distribution, reservoirs and pumps in real time. It helps monitor the water quantity and quality and reduces network loss through the advanced monitoring and control system.

Commenting on the project, Nass Group managing director Sameer Nass says: “This is another significant milestone in the group’s history. The success of this project, completed to the satisfaction of the client, is testimony to the capabilities and expertise of the team on the ground in Qatar, and reflects the excellent close working relationship with Kahramaa, as well as our consortium partners. We look forward to delivering high-quality projects of national strategic importance in Qatar going forward.”
A major diversified organisation with almost 40 companies engaged in contracting, industrial, manufacturing, marine services and trading, Nass Group is headquartered in Bahrain and has offices throughout the Gulf.
Last year Nass Corporation – which specialises in services for the building and construction industry – posted a turnover of BD113.06 million ($299.96 million) and a net profit of BD13.74 million ($36.41 million), despite tough market conditions.
Nass says that though gross turnover had declined, Nass Corporation’s overall performance had shown significant improvement with net profit rising five per cent over the previous year.
Meanwhile, the operations of Nass Corporation’s flagship company Nass Contracting have got off to a good start in 2010 buoyed by the recent success of a prestigious multi-million-dollar contract in Bahrain, according to its general manager David Anthony.
“2009 was a difficult year for everyone but Nass Contracting managed to put in another solid performance completing projects that were already in hand,” Anthony says.
He continues: “The Bahrain Map flyover opened to traffic in early December much to the delight of all vehicle drivers and of course to the local residents. We also signed a contract with the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry) in December which is possibly the best construction project launched in the whole of 2009. The project comprises the design and construction of a gravity block quay wall approximately 1,200 m long and the contract value is $80 million.
“This was indeed a great way to end a difficult year and stands us in great stead to achieve our targets for 2010. Asry is well known as a trusted and reputable company with high standards of safety and quality. This project gives a great boost for Nass Contracting to kick off 2010 and indicates how far we have come since completing the Khalifa Bin Salman Port quay wall in joint venture in early 2005.”
Like all companies Nass Contracting was affected due to the general downturn in construction business, but Anthony says the company does not intend to go “chasing after any project”.
Instead, he says, Nass Contracting will concentrate on the type of work it does best and offer clients quality product with the support of in-house group companies. “This ensures that we can continue to be competitive under very challenging conditions.”
Touching on the delays at Bahrain Bay and Riffa Views – two major projects with which Nass Contracting has been involved – Anthony is optimistic that they will come though their bad patch.
“No development has escaped the impact of the global crisis and the delays that have ensued,” he says. “These two developments in particular are pressing ahead and putting the infrastructure in place to minimise the impact to all their stakeholders. With the support of their business partners I am sure that they will come through this difficult time successfully.”
Other projects meanwhile, continue to keep the company busy.

Nass Contracting is continuing with development infrastructure works “from end to end in Bahrain” including reclamation and revetment work at Diyaar Al Muharraq and at the Hidd sewage treatment plant.
Mobilising work for the Asry quay wall started in January, while the company expects to complete its works at the King Hamad General Hospital in Muharraq and the Arcapita Bank headquarters at Bahrain Bay shortly.
Nass Contracting will also continue to look for sound opportunities throughout the GCC, says Anthony.
“We’ve had a lot of success to date, particularly in Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” he says, pointing out to the Kahramaa project as an example. “We often join hands with other companies on major projects but only when both parties benefit from the added value the other can bring. Nass Contracting is already participating in tenders in several neighbouring countries but we are very selective in choosing both the type of work and the prospective client.”
Looking ahead, Anthony strikes a note of caution while warning that the industry is not yet out of the woods. “Last year was about money or the lack of it and 2010 about work, but payment concerns are likely to continue through 2010 and due to the construction industry time lag, job opportunities will be few and far between until well into 2011,” he says.
“There will be infrastructure projects continuing on some of the real estate and commercial developments in Bahrain and the Electricity and Water Authority will press ahead with its planned expansion and improvement programmes so there will be work available, but on a much reduced scale,” Anthony adds.
Nass Contracting is also early awaiting the imminent launch of the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, which is expected to kick-start the industry. The project, says Anthony, will also require additional spending in the roads infrastructure sector with Bahrain having to improve its traffic distribution network from the 40-km causeway, which ends in north Askar in the kingdom.
Anthony says that a recovery will be much slower than originally thought across the Gulf but as oil prices recover, he expects spending in the construction sector will follow.
“The Gulf still has a long way to go and hopefully we will all take this opportunity to reflect and learn lessons from the crisis. The growth in the construction industry in parts of the GCC was unsustainable at the time and the massive resulting population increase put an additional strain on the developing infrastructure,” he says.
“Hopefully, there will be more thought put into the viability of some of the projects launched and growth in the sector will be slower, stronger and better considered. There is a great will in the region to invest in industry and to improve sectors such as healthcare and education. Prospects in the longer term are very good,” Anthony concludes.